Powder box and dispenser



May 29, 1951 w. B. CRANE 2,554,489

POWDER BOX AND DISPENSER Filed April 17, 1950 Uw rou 5. Cen/v5,

INVENTOR.

Patented May 29, 1 951 POWDER BOX AND DISPENSER Walton B. Crane, BeverlyHills, Calif., assignor to Max Factorda, O o., Los Angeles, Calif., acorporation ofgDelaware Application Aprilv 17, 1950, Serial No. 156,464

This invention relates to cosmetic containers and dispensers and isparticularly directed to an improved form oi powder box and powderdispenser. This invention is useful in connection with powder containerswhich are formed wholly or partly of a semi-plastic material such as,for example, polyethylene.

Conventional powder boxes for bath powder and dusting powder commonlyemploy a recep-l tacle having a base and a cover. A powder pun issupported within the receptacle which also contains a supply oi powder.The receptacle parts are made as tight iitting as practicable for easyinstallation and removal or" the cover, but it is well known thatreplacement of the cover on the lower portion of the receptacle maybeacF companied with escape of powder. Materials from which thereceptaclesl areA customarily formed do not provide a suiciently tightsealv to prevent escape cf scent from the powder. This is objectionablebecause once the powder boi:

is opened the powder may lose substantially ally of its scent before themajor portion of the powder has been used.

An important object of the present invention is to overcome thesedifiiculties and provide a powder box and dispenser including a puff,which device eliminates the objectionable escape of powder when thecover is replaced on the boX, and which substantiallyprevents escape ofscent from the powder even though the powder is used sparingly over aperiod of time.

Another object is to provide a powder box having an enclosed powder puffwhich actsresiliently upon a valve positioned in av container outlet toprevent escape of powder-within the container.

A further object is to provide a device of this type in which the powdercontainer ismounted on the receptacle cover so that the container may begrasped manually to raise the cover and then may be manually squeezed toejecta. spray of powder onto the surface of the pun'.

Other objects and advantages willappear more fully hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing apreferred embodiment ofmyinvention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional-view taken substantially on the lines2 2 as shown in lEig,- ure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation similar to Figure 2 showing thereceptacle cover and powder container elevated with respect to thereceptacle base and powder puff.

Figure 4 is a sectional detail. taken substantially on the lines 4-4 asshown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a plan View of the valve assembly' taken substantially inthe direction shown by thelines 5-5 appearing in Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, a receptacle gener-A ally designated leincludes a base Il having a.

bottom nange l2 and an upstanding circular wall I3. The receptacle I9also includes the cover lli which comprises an apertured disk i5 and ade pending circular wall i6 which nts over the wallf. i 3. The cover lcan be lifted vertically to expose the powder puri Il which is normallypositioned within the base Il. This powder pui may be. oiv

any conventional type and is preferably provided. with the usual clothcovering l5 and suitable ethylene. This container is attached to thecover As shown in thedrawings, the container extends through the:`

lll by any convenient means.

central opening 2| in the cover lil and is provided with an annular lipwhich underlies the disk I5 of the cover to prevent disassembly.Thematerial of the container 253 is sufficiently resilient to permit thelip to be distorted suiiiciently to pass into the central opening 2l.The wall thickness of the container 20 may be varied asy desired inorder to provide areas of minimum thickness for easy squeeze action bythe iinger tips. While the container is illustrated as being ofgenerally spherical shape, any suitable or desirable shape may beemployed.

The lower portion of the container 23 is provided with a hollow box 2thaving a generally cylindrical opening Eil. A valve assembly generallydesignated 22.5 is mounted in the opening 215. This valve assemblyincludes a seat member 26 formed of semi-resilient material andpressfltted into the opening 24. The seat member has a central passage2l extending therethrough which terminates at its lower end in a conicalsurface 28. A valvel member @e is positioned in the passage 2l and isprovided with an enlarged head 3c at its lower end having a conicalsurface 3l adapted to engage the surface 23 in sealing relationship. Theupper en of the valve member 29 is flattened so that its lateraldimensions prevent it from moving through the passage 2l, and in thisway the Valve 29 is held in on L25.

assembled relationship with respect to the seat.

powder 'puff I7 when the cover I4 is lowered into closing position onthe base II. The resilience of the powder pui I1 causes a closing forceto be exerted upwardly on the valve head 3D to maintain the sealingsurfaces 3| and 28 in contact. An effective seal is thus provided whichis air-tight and prevents escape of scent from the body of powder 31within the container 2B. So long as the cover I4 remains in place ontherbase II the powder puff II holds the valve 29 in closed position. YY

The cover I4 may be raised from the base II by manually grasping thecontainer 2l) and lifting it. Powder does not immediately fall bygravity through the passage 2l and clearance between the surfaces 23 and3| because these passageways are so restricted that powder does not fallfreely therethrough. When it is desired to eject powder from thecontainer 23 the latter is squeezed manually so that the container wallsare deected to a position such as that shown by the dot and dash lines38 as shown in Figure 3. This squeezing raises the air pressure withinthe container sufliciently to expel a conical spray of powder downwardfrom the valve head 3E. This spray may be directed against the uppersurface 36 of the puli il. The amount of powder deposited on the pui maybe accurately regulated by the manual squeezing action on the resilientcontainer 2Q.

When the puff Il is replaced in the base I I and when the cover Ill isreplaced in closing position, the usual escape of powder between theoverlapping walls is eliminated. Since the body o powder 3'! is confinedwithin the container 2i! and not within the receptacle I0, the escape ofair from the interior of the receptacle I as the cover is replaced doesnot carry with it any appreciable quantity of powder, and so theobjectionable spurting action of powder :from the receptacle is avoided.

Having fully described my invention, it 'is to be understood that I donot wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my inventionis of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a device of the class described, the com- 'bination of: areceptacle, a powder applicator normally supported within saidreceptacle, a

powder container having at least a portion thereof formed or" relativelysoft resilient material, means supporting the container upon thereceptacle, the container having a discharge opening, a valve assemblyincluding a movable valve element mounted 4in said opening to confinethe contents of the container against escape, the movable valve elementbeing normally engaged by the powder applicator whereby the movablevalve element is maintained in closed position, the valve element beingmovable to open position upon separation of said container and powderapplicator so that the contents of the container may be expelled bymanual squeezing of said Vrelatively soit portion oi the container.

2. In a device of the class described, thecombination of: a receptacle,a powder applicator' normally supported within said receptacle, a powdercontainer having at least a portion thereoi' formed of relatively softresilient material, means supporting the container upon the receptacle,the container having a discharge opening, a vertically movable poppetvalve mounted to close said opening to conne the contents of thecontainer against escape, the head of the valve being engaged by thepowder applicator whereby the movable valve is maintained in closedposition, the valve being movable to open position upon separation ofsaid container and powder applicator so that the contents of thecontainer may be expelled by manual squeezing of said relatively softportion of the container.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a receptacleformed by first and second separable cooperating parts, a powderapplicator normally supported within one of said parts, a powdercontainer secured with respect to the other of said parts, the containerhaving an opening, a valve assembly including a movable valve elementmounted in said opening to conne the contents of the container againstescape, a portion of the movable valve element being engaged by thepowder applicator when said first and second parts of the receptaclevarein cooperating position whereby the movable valve element is maintainedin closed position, the valve element being movable to open positionupon separation of said rst and second receptacle parts.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of: a receptacleformed by a base and a removable cover, a powder applicator normallysupported within the base, a powder container secured with respect tothe cover, the container having an opening, a valve assembly including amovable valve element mounted in said opening to confine the contents ofthe container against escape, a portion of the movable valve elementbeing engaged by the powder applicator when the cover is in positionupon the base whereby the movable valve element is maintained in closedposition, the Valve element being movable to open position uponseparation o the cover 'and base.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of: a receptacleformed by first and second separable cooperating parts, a powderapplicator normally supported within one of said parts, a powdercontainer secured with respect to the other of said parts, the containerhaving at least a portion thereof formed of relatively soft resilientmaterial, the container having an opening, a valve assembly including amovable valve element mounted in said opening to confine the contents ofthe container assembly against escape, a portion of the movable valveVelement being engaged by the powder applicator when said first andsecond parts of the receptacle are in cooperating position whereby themovable valve element is maintained in closed position, the valveelement being movable to open position upon separation of said first andsecond receptacle parts so that the contents of the container may beexpelled by manual squeezing of said relatively soft portion of thecontainer.

6. In a device of the class described, the com-- bination of: abase anda removable cover cooperating to form a receptacle, a powder puffnormally supported within the base, a powder container secured to thecover, the container having a major portion extending above the coverand a minor portion extending into the receptacle, atV least a part ofsaid major portion oi the container being formed of relatively softresilient material, the minor portion of the container having anopening, a valve assembly including a movable valve element mounted insaid opening to conne the contents of the container against escape, themovable valve element being engaged by the powder puff when the cover isin position upon the base whereby the movable valve element ismaintained in closed position, the valve element being movable to openposition upon separation of the cover and base so that the contents ofthe container may be expelled by manual squeezing of said relativelysoft portion of the container.

'7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a receptacleformed by a base and a removable cover, a powder puff normally supportedWithin the base, a powder container secured with respect to the cover,the container having at least a portion thereof formed of relativelysoft resilient material, the container having an opening, a valveassembly including a ver- 10 tively soft portion of the container.

WALTON B. CRANE.

No references cited.

